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Habit Herbs, subshrubs, or shrubs [trees], perennial, often rhizomatous.
Stems

usually branched, hairs simple and/or porrect-stellate [stellate] and, sometimes, glandular hairs.

Leaves

alternate, sessile or petiolate;

stipules present or absent;

blade margins crenate or serrate filiform;

stigmas 3, penicillate.

Fruits

capsular, 3-valved, dehiscence loculicidal.

Seeds

obovoid, straight or curved;

aril inserted around hilum, lobed, plump, membranous when dry;

endosperm fleshy;

embryo straight.

Turneraceae

Distribution
sc United States; se United States; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies; Africa; Indian Ocean Islands (Madagascar, Mascarene Islands)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Genera 10, species 226 (2 genera, 4 species in the flora).

The close relationships of Turneraceae with Passifloraceae, Malesherbiaceae, and Violaceae have long been recognized, especially by the presence of cyclopentenoid cyanogenic glycosides and cyclopentenyl fatty acids. These families have traditionally been positioned in Parietales or Violales with other taxa that have parietal placentation; analyses of DNA sequence data indicate that only a subset of the taxa with parietal placentation are closely related. The group that includes Turneraceae is embedded within Malpighiales (V. Savolainen et al. 2000b; D. E. Soltis et al. 2000; O. I. Nandi et al. 1998; M. W. Chase et al. 2002).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Hairs porrect-stellate and simple, seldom absent, glandular hairs absent; leaves without nectaries; peduncle free; corona present.
Piriqueta
1. Hairs glandular and simple, glandular hairs microcapitate or sessile-capitate; leaves often with nectaries; peduncle free or adnate to petiole (flowers epiphyllous); corona absent.
Turnera
Source FNA vol. 6, p. 165. Author: María Mercedes Arbo.
Parent taxa
Subordinate taxa
Piriqueta, Turnera
Name authority Kunth ex de Candolle
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